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Ford of Europe's New Leader
Will Come From Mazda Affiliate

By

Norihiko ShirouzuStaff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated Aug. 27, 2003 7:05 a.m. ET

Ford Motor Co. has named Lewis Booth, chief executive of Ford's Japanese affiliate, Mazda Motor Corp., as new head of Ford of Europe in a chain of moves triggered by the unexpected resignation earlier this month by the head of Ford's European operations.

Hisakazu Imaki, Mazda's No. 2 executive, will succeed Mr. Booth as Mazda's chief executive -- a move that would give the Hiroshima-based auto maker the first Japanese CEO since the mid-1990s, when Ford began sending Western executives to run the then-troubled company. Ford...